Carbide feed mechanism for acetylene generators



mammograms 2,480,292 um'rso STATES PATENT orrics cannmn FEED micmmsu' ron acm'rnms Gmm'rons I Harry Hooper, New York, N. Y., assigns: to Air Reduction Company, Incorporated, a corporation of New York Application April I, 1948, Serial No. 19.453 1 11 Claims. (Cl. 48-533) This inventionrelates to acetylene generators Fig. 2 is a development of a portion of the oithe carbidetowater type, and more particularly valve lip constituting part oi the carbide feed to the carbide feed mechanism of such generators. mechanism of Fig. l; and

It has been difllcult heretofore to operate a Fig. 3 is a schematic illustration of a carbide bank oi acetylene generators efllciently when the feed system for a bank or acetylene generators generators are connected to a common discharge embodying the invention, each generator having a line. Usually one or two or the generators opfeed mechanism of the kind shown in Fig. 1.

-erate at a higher pressure and carry the entire Referring first to Fig. 1, the carbide hopper 01 load instead oi each generator contributing i s a carbide to W er ype acetylene generator G is proportionate quantity of the total gas supplied shown at II. The carbide is y in the form to the line. Sometimes, by delicate adjustments 01 small particles, as is well un mm in the oi the carbide iced mechanisms, the generators art. The hopper has a downw sloping botcan be made to operate cooperatively i'ora period tom II at the center 01' which is a discharge of time, but they soon lose the original adjustopening l2. Carbide in the. hopper is free to ment and necessitate constant recalibration. move downwardly hro g the opening I! into Pressure regulators are sometimes used at the disa spout it from which it passes t rough an opencharge ends 01 the generators so that they will all in: I 4 onto a feed plate or disc 'll having a conideliver gas at the same pressure to the common c l upper smi'ace. A ring ll, projecti downdischarge line, but this is not wholly satisfactory w r rom e s ou Ii and n rcling its disand only adds to the complexity and cost of the on charge ning ll, supports a flexible valve lip l1 generator equipment. w i h. wh n the feed plate II is in its raised One object of this invention is to provide an ng P 1" ars against the upp r improved carbide feed system for a bank oi acetconical surface oi the feed plate. The valve lip ylene generators connected in a common dis- I! may comprise a thin metal strip oi. the kind charge line-which will function to cause all the 5 illustrated in Fig. 2. having a serrated lower edge generators to deliver acetylene to the vdjs gharg'e that forms a continuous series of fingers line at substantially the same pressure. and bent to c r h s h p When he This is accomplished by using on each generfeed plate is rawn upward the fingers I! of ator oi the bank carbide feed mechanism having the lv p revent ischarge of carbide para movable element such as 'a plate or disc that 30. tides nd h e 01 he feed plate. The controls the delivery or carbide from a hopper inflexible lower edge r he valve li fo med y the to the water in the generator, and controlling the ers i8 prevent the smaller size carbide parmovement oi. such element by a diaphragm or titles from sifting p h l r er n s in case other pressure-responsive device exposed at one large particles become lodged between the feed side to the pressure of the acetylene in the gen- Plate and h Valve p n apron l9 acts as a erator and loaded at the other side by a gas that shield to pr vent condensate on th upper suris independent of the generated acetylene gas faces the enerating cham er 20 fr m pp and its pressure and that is delivered to the diaonto the feed pl r the rfaces surr n in phragm loading chambers of the carbide feed the discharge Opening mechanisms' of all of the generators at substanth The feed plate I! is ecured to the lower end of "ally the same pressure. Preferably the diastem 2| that is movable lon itu in l y within phragms of the carbide feed mechanisms of all 1ihe spout A flexible aphra m 22 is clamped of the generators are loaded by gas under a pr at its P riph ral rtion to the lower edge of a determined pressure from a single source. ll 23 y a mping ring ii. The center por- Part of the system can be used to improve the tion f he iaphragm is clamped between upper operation of the carbide feed mechanism of a and l w r plates 5, 8. on the lower end of a single acetylene generator when the feed mechastem 27 which j s upwar ly within the shell nism is of the type in which a gas loaded dia- 23. The upper end of the stem 21 slides in a phragm controls movement of a plate or disc or bushing 2 hat centers the stem and restrains other element that in turn controls delivery 01' 5 h iaphragm from buckling. The lower end carbide to the water in the generator, and thereofthe stem 21 is secured to a hook 28 which is fore a further object of the invention is to prolinked h n ye 29 secured to the upper end vlde an improved carbide feed mechanism for a of the feed plate stem II. Thus upward and single generator. downward movement of the diaphragm 22 raises The invention is illustrated in the accompanyand lowers the feed plate I 8. ing drawing, in which: A series or short pipes Ill extending through the Figure 1 is a vertical section through the hopsloping bottom ll of the carbide hopper place per and carbide feed mechanism of an acetylene the acetylene chamber 20 of the generator in generator embodying the invention, a few oI-the communication with the p e under h parts being shown in side elevation; phragm 22, and therefore the underside oi. the

diaphragm is exposed to the pressure of the acetylene generated in the generator. A plate 3I in the shape of a truncated hollow cone having an opening 32 at its upper end prevents carbide particles from accumulating around the upper ends of the pipes 30 and keeps a space under the diaphragm clear of carbide particles so that the generated acetylene which passes from the upper ends of the'pipes 30 and through the opening 32 in the plate has access to the under side of the diaphragm. The pipes 30 give the acetylene generated in the chamber 20 access to the space under the diaphragm without the necessity of the acetylene passing upward through the feed spout I6 and the carbide below the level of the hopper plate II. In the event of a sudden pressure rise causing generated acetylene to pass in to the hopper, as in the case of a rupture of the diaphragm 22, the acetylene will not pass through the carbide and the danger of moisture in the gas forming hot spots in the carbide will be averted.

The shell 23 and the diaphragm 22 form a gas-tight loading chamber 33 above the diaphragm. A diaphragm loading gas from an independent gas source is supplied to this chamher under predetermined constant pressure through a loading gas supply pipe 34 as hereinafter more fully described. When the generator is operating, the pressure of the gas in the loading chamber 33 above the diaphragm depresses the diaphragm and lowers the feed plate I to feed carbide into the body of water in the lower portion of the generator until the pressure of the generated acetylene acting on the under side of the diaphragm becomes high enough to move the diaphragm upward, thereby lifting the feed plate I5 to arrest the feeding of carbide.

The feed plate I5 may be held raised in its non-feeding position by means of a cam 35 which acts against the lower face of a flange 36 on the stem 21. The cam is secured to the inner end of a shaft 31 which is journalled to rotate in a pipe 38 in a gas-tight manner and which extends to a point outside of the hopper where it is connected to a handle 39. By partially rotating the handle 39 the cam may be turned either to its operative position shown in Fig. 1 in which it holds the feed plate I5 in its raised non-feeding position or to an inoperative position in which it permits the feed plate to move downward to feeding position.

A coil spring 40 located within a retainer 4| supported within the shell 23 reacts at its lower end against the retainer and at its upper end against a plate secured to the stem 21. This spring counteracts some of the weight of the movable parts of the feed mechanism including the stem 21, the diaphragm 22, the stem 2 I', and the feed plate I5. If desired this spring may be made sufiiciently strong so that it necessitates the presence of a higher gas pressure in the shell 23 than exists in the hopper Ill. If a rupture of the diaphragm occurs, the generated acetylene would not then 'fiow'into the shell 23 and backward through the loading gas supply system where it may affect the operation of other generators connected in parallel in the manner hereinafter described.

When the generator is first placed in operation and no acetylene pressure exists, the handle 39 is rotated to turn the cam 35 to its inoperative position whereupon the diaphragm 22 and the feed plate I5 are lowered by the weight of the carbide supported on the feed plate. However, this results in the feeding of only a limited amount of carbide into the water in the generator. The truncated cone 3I restrains the movement of the carbide in the hopper and permits it to move only in a thin layer along the sloping bottom wall of the hopper toward the discharge opening I2. The spaces within the spout I3 and within the ring IIi become partially filled with carbide when the hopper is charged. A flexible disc 33, secured to the stem 2 I, closes the discharge opening I2 in the hopper bottom when the feed plate I5 is moved to its lowermost position and prevents further movement of carbide particles into the spout I3. Therefore only the carbide below the hopper opening I2 is discharged by the feed plate when the feed plate is completely open. For an addi tional discharge, feed plate I5 must be raised by rotating the handle 39 to permit the spout I3 and the space within the ring I6 to be recharged with carbide. Thus only measured amounts of carbide can be fed to the water within the generator when the feed plate is operated manually by the handle 39. The disc 43 also interrupts the feeding of carbide when the acetylene pressure becomes excessively low during normal operation of the generator.

The hopper is charged with carbide through an opening provided at the top of the hopper which is sealed by a cover plate 44 removably held in place by a yoke 45 and a clamping screw 46.

When the hopper is refilled with a new supply of carbide it is usually desirable to operate the feed mechanism manually by means of the handle 39 because the pressure of the acetylene in the generator is reduced substantially to atmospheric pressure before the hopper is refilled and must be built up to operating pressure before the feed mechanism will operate automatically in its intended way. Moreover, a large quantity of the acetylene gas first generated is absorbed by the water in the generator until the water becomes saturated, especially when the water has been changed as is usually done when the hopper is recharged with carbide. Heretofore, to offset this and to rapidly raise the generator pressure, it has been customary to manually precipitate a supply of carbide into the water in the generator until the pressure of the generated gas closes the feed plate. However, with this practice a considerable excess of carbide is usually precipitated before the feed plate can be closed with the result that an undesirable pressure rise, or aftergeneration, occurs. The present feed mechanism avoids this since only a measured amount of carbide can be discharged during the full opening of the feed plate I5, as above described. During regular operation of the the generator is supplying a constant flow of acetylene, the diaphragm 22 will move up and down almost continuously, thereby maintaining practically a continuous sifting of carbide from the feed plate at the rate required to maintain the desired acetylene pressure within the generator. One advantage of this type of feed mechanism is that the response of the diaphragm is extremely rapid, closing the feed plate quickly to avoid over-generation, and opening it without a lag to precipitate more carbide. Consequently the generator pressure never varies more than a small amount from the desired pressure and a very uniform pressure may be maintained.

The above-mentioned loading gas supply pipe 34 for supplying an independent gas to the loading chamber 33 above the diaphragm is connected with a source of gas, other than the acetylene gengenerator, however, when erated in the generator, in the manner shown in Fig. 3. The gas source may comprise a cylinder containing some compressed gas such as nitrogen which is delivered to a feed line 4'! through an adjustable pressure regulator'R that maintains the gas pressure in the feed line at the desired level. Any gas can be used but it is preferable to use an inert gas to avoid the danger which might result if leakages occur at the shell 23. From the feed line 47 a branch pipe 48 delivers the gas through a shut-off valve 49 to the abovementioned loading gas suppl pipe 34 leading to the shell 23 within the carbide hopper of the acetylene generator G. As already made clear, when the cam 35 (Fig. 1) is in its inoperative position, the gas admitted to the chamber 33 above the diaphragm exerts a downward force against the diaphragm and moves it downward when the pressure of the generated acetylene in the generator is not suficient to balance the downward force. The feedplate is thereby lowered and a quantity of carbide is permitted to drop into the water in the generator until the additional acetylene generated increases the pressure at the under side of the diaphragm sufilciently to move it upward and lift the feed plate to its closed position.

The invention makes it possible to provide a carbide feed system for a bank of acetylene generators in which the individual carbide feed mechanisms on the generators will all operate in unison. Fig. 3 shows not only the acetylene generator G above referred to but two, additional generators G1 and G2. These are all connected to a common acetylene discharge line 50. The loading gas supply pipes 341 and 342 that supply the loading gas for the diaphragms of the feed mechanisms of the generators G1 and G2 are connected to the gas feed line 41 in the same manner that the loading gas supply pipe 34 of the generator G is connected to it, namely, by means of branch pipes 481 and 482, respectively, and shut.- ofl valves 491 and 492, respectively. Any desired number of generators may be included in the bank with the loading chambers of the dia-- phragms of their carbide feed mechanisms all connected to the gas feed line 41 as above described. Any generator may be excluded from gas line is vented in case leakage at the pressure the bank without afiecting the others by closing the corresponding shut-oil valve 49.

A reservoir 5! is preferably connected in the gas feed line 4'! in advance of the first acetylene generator, and a vent 52 is preferably provided just beyond the pressure regulator R. Large displacements of the carbide feed diaphragms might cause some compression of the gas in the gas line if the volume of the system is sufficiently small. This would result in a slight increase of pressure on the upper side of the diaphragms that might interfere with precise regulation, although the effect, for all practical purposes, would probably be negligible. The volume of the reservoir 5| is such that no harmful compression of the gas can occur in the loading gas line when large displacements of the carbide feed diaphragms take place. A small continuous discharge of gas takes place at the vent 52 that permits the pressure regulator R to function properly and maintain a constant pressure in the gas feed line 41. The discharge of gas from the vent 52 also permits the setting of the pressureregulator R to be lowered when so desired. The system is operative without the reservoiril and the vent 52 but their use is advisable as a precautionary measure to ensure satisfactory operation of the system under all conditions.

regulator R causes the rise.

It will now be seen that since the diaphragms of the individual carbide feed mechanisms of the pressure in the gas line to generators are not spring-loaded but are loaded by gas from a single source that passes through the pressure regulator R, the pressure created by the loading gas on the carbide feed diaphragms of all of the generators is uniform throughout the bank of generators, thereby causing all of the feed mechanisms to behave identically. The pressure of the gas produced in each of the generators will therefore be the same and will be determined by the adjustment of the pressure regulator R and all of the generators will share equally in supplying the total flow of generated acetylene.

While the invention has been described in connection with acetylene generators that have carbide feed mechanism of the type in which a feed plate is moved vertically by a diaphragm, it is also applicable to generators that have carbide feed mechanism of the type in which a motor, such as a weight motor, rotates acarbide feed element such as a plate or disc and the rotation of the element is controlled by a friction brake which in turn is controlled by a regulator having a diaphragm which is exposed at one side to the pressure of the generated acetylene and which is spring-loaded at its other side. An acetylene generator having carbide feed mechanism of this type is disclosed in the patent to George M. Deming No. 2,085,084 issued June 29, 1937. In applying the invention to carbide feed mechanism of the kind shown in the Deming patent the loading spring for the diaphragm of the regulator would, of course, be dispensed with and the diaphragm would be gas loaded in the manner hereinbefore described. With the carbide feed mechanism revised in this way a number of the generators could be connected to a common acetylene discharge line and a carbide feed system employed for them of the kind above described and illustrated in Fig. 3.

carbide feed mechanism comprising a carbide hopper, a movable element controllingthe delivery of carbide from the hopper to the water in the generator, a diaphragm, means whereby the diaphragm controls the movement of said movable element, said diaphragm being exposed at one side to the pressure of the acetylene produced in the generator, a gas loading chamber at the other side of the diaphragm, a source of compressed gas that is independent of the acetylene produced in the generator, and means for delivering such gas at a substantially constant predetermined pressure to said loading chamber.

2. In a carbide to water acetylene generator, carbide feed mechanism comprising a carbide hopper, a movable element controlling the delivery of carbide from the hopper to the water in the generator, a diaphragm, means whereby the diaphragm controls the movement of said movable element, said diaphragm being exposed at one side to the pressure of the acetylene produced in the generator, a gas loading chamber at the other side of the diaphragm, a source of compressed gas that is independent of the acetylene produced in the generator, a gas feed line leading from said ery of carbide from the hopper to the water in a the generator, a diaphragm, means whereby the diaphragm controls the movement of said movable'element, said diaphragm being exposed at one side to the pressure of the acetylene produced in the generator, a gas loading chamber at the other side of the diaphragm, a source of compressed gas that is independent of the acetylene produced in the generator, a gas feed line leading from said source of compressed gas to said loading chamber, a gas reservoir in said line, and an adjustable gas pressure regulator in said line in advance of said reservoir.

4. In a carbide to water acetylene generator, carbide feed mechanism comprising a carbide hopper, a movable element controlling the delivery of carbide from the hopper to the water in the generator, a diaphragm, means whereby the diaphragm controls the movement of said movable element, said diaphragm being exposed at one side to the pressure of the acetylene produced in the generator, a gas loading chamber at the other side of the diaphragm, a source of compressed gas that is independent of the'acetylene produced in the generator, a gas feed line leading from said source of compressed gas to said loading chamber, a gas reservoir in said line, an adjustable gas pressure regulator in said line in advance of said reservoir, and a gas vent in said line between the pressure regulator and the reservoir.

5. In a carbide to water acetylene generator, carbide feed mechanism comprising a carbide pper, a of carbide from the hopper to the water in the generator, a diaphragm, means whereby the diaphragm controls the movement of said movable element, said diaphragm being exposed at one side to the pressure of the acetylene produced in the generator, a gas loading chamber at the other ,side of the diaphragm, a source of compressed gas that is independent or the acetylene produced in the generator, a gas feed line leading from said source of compressed gas to said loading chamber, an adjustable gas pressure regulator in said line, and a relief valve in said line.

6. In a bank of carbide to water acetylene generators all connected to a common acetylene discharge line, a carbide feed system for the generators comprising a carbide hopper on each generator, a movable element associated with each of the hoppers controlling the delivery of carbide from thehopper to the water in the corresponding generator, a controlling diaphragm for each of said elements, means whereby each diaphragm controls the movement of the corresponding movable element. each 01' the diaphragms being ex posed at one side to the pressure of th acetylene produced in the corresponding generator and having a gas loading chamber at its otherside, a source of compressed gas that is independent or the acetylene produced in the generators, and means for delivering such gas at a substantially constant predetermined pressure to the loading chambers of the diaphragms associated with all or the generators.

'7. In a bank of carbide to water acetylene generators all connected to a common acetylene dismovable element controlling the delivery 1 charge line, a carbide feed system for the generators comprising a carbide hopper on each generator, a movable element associated with each of the hoppers controlling the delivery of carbide from the, hopper to the water in the corresponding generator, a controlling diaphragm for each or said elements, means whereby each diaphragm controls the movement of the corresponding movable element, each or the diaphragms being exposed at one side to'the pressure 01 the acetylene produced in the corresponding generator and having a gas loading chamber at its other side, a single source of compressed gas that is independent of the acetylene produced in the generators, and means for delivering such gas to the loading chambers or the diaphragms of all 01' the generators.

8. In a bank of carbide to wateracetylene generators all connected to a common acetylene discharge line, a carbide feed system for the generators comprising a carbide hopper on each generator, a movable element associated with each oi. the hoppers controlling the delivery or carbide from the hopper to the water in the corresponding generator, a controlling diaphragm for each of said elements, means whereby each diaphragm controls the movement of the corresponding movable element, each 01' the diaphragms being exposed at one side to the pressure of the acetylene produced in the corresponding generator and having a gas loading chamber at its other side. a source of compressed gas that is independent of the acetylene produced in the generators, a gas feed line leading from said source or compressed gas to the loading chambers o! the diaphragms 01 all of the generators, and an adjustable gas pressure regulator in said line.

9. In a bank of carbide to water acetylene generators all connected to a common acetylene discharge line, a carbide feed system for the generators comprising a carbide hopper on each generator, a'movable element associated with each of the hoppers controlling the delivery of carbide from the hopper to the water in the corresponding generator, a controlling diaphragm for each of said elements, means whereby each diaphragm controls the movement of the corresponding movable element, each of the diaphragms being exposed at-one side to the pressure or the acetylene produced in the corresponding generator and having a gas loading chamber at its other side, a source of compressed gas that is independent or the acetylene produced in the generators, a

gas feed line leading from said source of com-- pressed gas to the loading chambers of the-diaphragms or all or the generators, a gas reservoir in said line, and an adjustable gas Pressure regulator in said line in advance or said reservoir.

10. In a bank oi. carbide to water acetylene generators all connected to a common acetylene discharge line, a carbide feed system for the generators comprising a carbide hopper on each generator, a movable element associated with each of the hoppers controlling the delivery or carbide from the hopper to the water in the corresponding generator, a controlling diaphragm for each of said elements, means whereby each diaphragm controls the movement of the corresponding movable element, each or the diaphragms being exposed at one side tothe pressure of the acetylene produced in the corresponding generator and having a gas loading chamber at its other side, a source or compressed gas that is independent or the acetylene produced in the generators, a gas feed line leading from said source or compressed 9 gas to the loading chambers of the diaphragms of all of the generators, a gas reservoir in said line, an adjustable gas pressure regulator in said line in advance of said reservoir, and a gas vent in said line between the pressure regulator and the reservoir.

11. In a bank of carbide to water acetylene generators all connected to a common acetylene dis- ,charge line, a carbide feed system for the generators comprising a carbide hopper on each generator, a movable element associated with each of the hoppers controlling th delivery of carbide from the hopper to the water in the corresponding generator, a controlling diaphragm for each of said elements, means whereby each diaphragm line.

v HARRY HOOPER.

No references cited. 

